I am very pleased to be able to announce that the new Flying Tigers website is now live and open for business. The transfer was much more problematic than I could possibly have imagined, which resulted in our proposed launch date being delayed much longer than I would have liked, but I suppose that I should have been prepared for this, with a new business set up. Particularly problematic was the broadband installation, which is quite an important feature of an internet based business. You would think that an airfield business park would have really good communication links, but that is only if your supplier routes your broadband connection correctly! Thankfully, this is all behind us now and I am very much looking forward to this new challenge.
Taking over the Flying Tigers website is a significant moment in my life, having spent many years expanding my collecting with Michael and Emma. I know that they are also embarking on new challenges and I would like to thank them for the help and support that they have given me over the past few weeks and to wish them well in the future. It goes without saying that my door will always be open here at Sywell and I have a fully working kettle on hand.
I thought that the only way to start this, my inaugural Newsletter, with a picture of my new business premises at Sywell Aerodrome, which I hope is going to become a regular destination for die-cast collectors, in the years to come. I am very conveniently located, just through the main entrance at Sywell Airfield and due to the unique Art Deco style of building and Flying Tigers logo, we will be really easy to find for anyone wishing to pay us a visit. The airfield itself is well worth a visit in its own right, as it really is a little gem in the Northamptonshire countryside – it is also steeped in aviation history. There is so much to tell you about Sywell, that I will have plenty of subject matter for future Newsletters and as an operating airfield, I am sure that a quick wander around the site with my camera, will yield some great pictures and endless inspiration. I am really looking forward to sharing my Sywell experiences with you.
It all seems a bit real now. I have some hard work and long days ahead of me, but I am determined to make this a success. I am very much looking forward to meeting all of you and providing you with the best service in the hobby. I do not intend to change anything about the way Emma and Michael used to run the business,but I will always be open to suggestions. If there is anything at all that you would like to discuss with me, or if you would like to make any suggestions on how we could make the customer experience even better, then please feel free to give me a call on the new business number we have here at Sywell, which is 01604 499034.
The picture above is an important one in the history of my new business. Michael travelled down recently to give me a hand and we engaged the services of one of my new neighbours in taking this symbolic picture of Michael handing over the website to me. He did ask me to apologise for his dishevelled appearance – he had been moving boxes for hours and started at an un-godly hour …. well, that was his excuse anyway. Having been a long standing customer of Michael’s, I know that this has been all been quite a wrench for him and that he would like me to thank you all for your support you have given him over the years. He has a new challenge now and I wish him well – my challenge is to try and keep everything ticking along at Flying Tigers, just as Emma and Michael left it!
Flying Tigers Mk.II Takes Off.
You may be able to tell that this Newsletter was started some time ago and I have only just had the opportunity to finish it off. It was supposed to go live a couple of weeks ago, but setting up my business as been a significant challenge, particularly as you are dealing with lots of different institutions, which all have their own way of doing things and at their own pace. It has been an absolute nightmare and even at the eleventh hour today, I had a technical glitch with the website – the joys of running your own business. Thankfully, everything appears to be working now and this will be the very first Newsletter that I have posted. I can promise you that I will have much more content for you in future – being based at Sywell means that there is always something aviation related going on and I have my camera with me at all times.
Future Model Releases – A weekend of work ahead
One of my most pressing challenges is to reinstate the future model releases section on the website, which has not been present for many weeks. I will be adding all the future model announcements to the site, from all the major manufacturers as a matter of some urgency and this will be keeping me busy over the coming few days. My intention is to have all these models on the site and available for pre-order by this time next week, so please bear with me in the meantime – there really is so much to do and so little time to do it. Importantly, with my pre-orders, I intend to treat them just the same way that Michael did before me and to allow my collectors to reserve the models that they are looking for, without the need to pay a pre-order deposit. I know that this is unusual in this day and age, but I think that there has to be an element of trust involved here and that works both ways.
Opening Weekend OFFER
I have a lot of work to do over the coming few days, so I had better get on with things. I am sure that I will have more time to develop my own Newsletter in the weeks to come, but for this week, I would just like to leave you with this opening weekend offer – there are some great half price deals available on a trio of Hobbymaster Grumman TBF/TBM Avengers available, whilst my stocks last. I would just like to finish the newsletter by saying that my name is Richard and I am the proud new owner of the Flying Tigers website. I am very much looking forward to making your acquaintance over the coming months and to helping you in any way that I can. If you are near Sywell at any time, please drop in and say hello – if not, please keep checking the website for all the latest developments.